


Whatever Happens (Let it Happen)

by StarlightAfterAStorm



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-05
Updated: 2017-04-05
Packaged: 2018-10-15 02:33:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10548562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarlightAfterAStorm/pseuds/StarlightAfterAStorm
Summary: Betty is lost inside of something new to her1x06 The Kiss





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone. This is my return to fanfiction after a LONG HIATUS. But I've been lowkey shipping Bughead since I was 7 years old and Riverdale now owns my highkey Bughead heart.

_ “I am lost inside of something new to me _

_ Yeah I’m lost _

_ But I know that it takes time” _

_ -Emily Afton, Lost _

 

* * *

 

“We’re not our parents, Betty. We’re not our families”

 

The sharp coil of panic inside her chest loosens and it feels like Betty can breathe again. She smiles faintly, more grateful than words can possibly express that Jughead is the one here comforting her. 

 

“Also-“ 

 

Something in Betty snaps to attention at that. The energy around them changes. 

 

“What?”

 

She’s never seen Jughead look like this before. There’s something… more than there was a second ago. There’s a pleading urgency in his eyes. She can almost imagine the music swelling around them. 

 

In reality, there’s just them. 

 

A bird sings sweetly on the branch through the still open window and the clink of her parents moving in the kitchen downstairs filters through the walls. 

 

But the world contracts to just this, just them. His breathing and her breathing and the way he’s looking at her. 

 

“What?”

 

She raises a brow and there’s laughter in her voice as she asks a second time. She’s unfamiliar with silence from Jughead. Jughead, the snarky writer, the witty novelist, who prides himself on his quips and comebacks, is looking speechlessly at her right now. 

 

A beat.

 

Two.

 

And then Jughead’s lips are on hers. His hands are cradling her face. It’s a soft kiss. A sweet kiss. Chaste and slow. Everything and nothing like Betty’s imagined for a life changing kiss. 

 

Something inside of Betty’s head goes,

 

“Oh. It’s _you_.” 

 

She puts her hand on his shoulder and leans into him ever so slightly. Enough so that when he finally pulls away, Betty sways into him, lips falling open and following his. She can’t help the smile that touches her face.

 

Her eyes are still closed but she can hear Jughead sigh in front of her. Deep and full of unspoken relief. 

 

How long has he wanted this? How long has he felt this way? Does he feel like she feels right now? 

 

Everything is fuzzy and warm and Betty wants to kiss Jughead again. 

 

Is this how it’s supposed to feel? Is this how Polly felt? Betty thinks she might understand now. 

 

Oh.

 

Polly. 

 

“ _The car_.”

 

Betty’s hands clutch at the front of Jughead’s shirt. 

 

The world paused for them momentarily but someone’s pressed the fast forward button, eager for them to catch up. 

 

“Wow. That’s what you’re thinking about in the middle of our _moment_?”

 

Betty’s eyes find Jughead’s and the smirk on his face soothes her spooked heart. His eyes are calm and fond and it’s enough for her to chase after her moment of clarity. She moves past Jughead, pacing like she can physically follow her train of thought to the answers she wants.

 

“ _No_. Polly talked about… a car Jason had stashed for them… down route 40? Near some sign?” 

 

Betty turns back to Jughead, eager to include him in her deductions. 

 

“If we can find it, we can confirm Polly’s story.”

 

Her lips turn up at the edges at seeing the furrow in his brow, his mind working just as quickly as hers in putting the pieces together. 

 

“Well,” he begins, “One way or another.”

 

His gaze keeps her steady. Reality and logic balancing her optimism. Calm and rationale tempering her frenzied thoughts. 

 

“I need to know Juggie.”

 

Jughead nods.

 

“Okay. Let’s get you out of here then. I’ll go down first and hold the ladder steady for you.”

 

The simple fact of his understanding feels like warmth and comfort. He didn’t mind the change in topic. He didn’t pressure her about the kiss. He didn’t try to talk her out of trying to find Jason and Polly’s car. He’s helping her, supporting her in this case and in her decisions, just like he has been this whole time. Jughead turns back to the windowand towards the ladder, but something inside of Betty can’t keep quiet. She can’t leave it just like this. He has to know she wants this shift in their relationship, wherever it might lead to. 

 

“Juggie, wait.”

 

Betty bites her lip as she reaches out to him, catching the edge of his sleeve and bringing his attention back to her. She slips her hand into his, tugging him closer. He’s understood everything she’s left unsaid before now but he deserves words. They don’t have time for them right now but he deserves words. 

 

Later, it’ll have to be later. After they find the car, after they confirm Polly’s story, after they talk to her parents or Sheriff Keller or whoever they’ll need to talk to about the car. After, after, after…

 

She’ll make time for them to talk. She swears. 

 

For now she can give him this. 

 

Another kiss. 

 

Just as sweet and tender as the first one. Fingers still clasped together like shy sweethearts, Betty smiles into the kiss and presses just one more quick one to Jughead’s bottom lip as she backs away. 

 

Opening her eyes to Jughead’s answering smile, Betty feels fizzy and bright. 

 

“To be continued.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed that! It was something quick and blurby that I needed to get out. I really wanted to explore Betty's feelings in that moment, how frazzled she is about her family and how Jughead makes her feel. I may or ma not continue to write fanfic, it depends on inspiration but I am in the process of writing up some more meta on the couple so keep a lookout for that.


End file.
